


An Omega's Gift

by typewrittencurlie



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Epic Love, Full Shift Werewolves, Humans vs. Werewolves, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mages, Minor Character Death, Old Gods, Original Fiction, Quests, True Mates, Were-Creatures, Werewolves, Witches, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:49:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25649098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/typewrittencurlie/pseuds/typewrittencurlie
Summary: Drinkable water is scarce on the continent Terros, most lakes filled with poisons of creatures long since dead, though the streams that cut the soil are able to keep the population of people and animals alive. Vegetation on the plains is richer than the previous, savannah-like, seeming to thrive on the pollution.The thick forests outside the nation of Providence hide a secret pack of Wolves, the Resistance, making do with the plentiful game, and the meager goods they are able to barter from the small, mistrustful human homesteads nearby.In one of the abandoned metropolises that litter the continent, the people of Providence unable to grow food in their barren soil, and any animals they attempt to raise become infected with a mysterious rotting sickness. All the while, they isolate themselves from those who would help, hating Wolves for their ability to live in the wilderness, and doing all they could to eliminate shifters from their nation. But, were these their own thoughts, or were they being helped along by their deceptively kind Lord Morningstar in their fanatic loathing?The people of the world Hastor remember The Time of Great Destruction, when a madman destroyed the world.
Relationships: Dylin Cambel/Fennis Novac
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I just was looking for a bit of feedback on my first original fic....
> 
> So, if you like it, just let me know, see anything you think needs tweaking, that's fine too.
> 
> I know it's not completely edited, but just give it a read. You won't regret it.
> 
> 🙃

Drinkable water is scarce on the continent Terros, most lakes filled with poisons of creatures long since dead, though the few rivers that cut the soil are able to keep the population of people and animals alive. The climate on the plains is more arid than the previous millennia, savanna-like, but the plants seemed to thrive on the pollution in the ponds. 

The thick forests outside the nation of Providence hide a secret pack of Wolves, the Resistance, making do with the plentiful game, and the meager goods they are able to barter from the small, mistrustful human homesteads nearby. 

In one of the abandoned metropolises that litter the continent, the dregs of a once proud colony struggle for scraps, the people of Providence unable to grow food in their now barren soil, and any animals they attempt to raise become infected with a mysterious rotting disease. All the while, they isolate themselves from those who would help, hating Wolves for their ability to live in the wilderness, and doing all they could to eliminate shifters from their nation. But, were these their own thoughts, or were they being helped along by their deceptively kind succession of Lord Morningstars in their fanatic loathing?

The people of the world Hastor remember in stories The Time of Great Destruction, when a madman destroyed the world with weapons that were never meant for mere mortals, a weapon from the dark depths of an ancient evil. Many fear it will return to finish its job.

That was the world Dylin Cambel was born into. The only world he knew. The world he was fated to help his true mate, the Omega, Fennis, change.

-:-

Almost there. Dylin was almost finished with his work program, the only source of income for himself and his pack as they prepared for the coming winter. He let his wolf like ears lay back against his skull, trying to hide them in his shaggy hair from the humans that passed him on the street. The Alpha Wolf picked up the last loose stone from the broken road, placing it in the wagon his overseer would have the sickly, half dead horses cart away. Finished.

In the middle of the crumbling byway, his human counterpart unlocked the thick leather collar fitted with inward facing silver spikes that prevented him from shifting into his Wolf-Self, his true form. However human he may appear, Dylin never felt more true as when he was in the form of a tawny wolf with emerald eyes. He simply took advantage of having hands. Often.

The human he worked under during this temporary labor-intensive program had definitely been kinder than any he'd known in his previous positions. He'd even given him a few days to himself when Dylin's rut had come around in it's twice yearly cycle, a Wolf's mating instincts being nearly impossible to overcome. The human had, in his understanding, lightened the Alpha's workload upon his return. Uncommon for a Man, his overseer acknowledged the fatigue. Obviously he knew the Wolf couldn't control his body's raging need.

For a human, Mikel was almost a friend.

Dylin Cambel let his feet carry him through the humans' world afterwards with the scrip coins from the office in his pocket jingling. 

He cast his eyes upwards to the ruinous remains of the ancient humans, trying to picture what the titanic buildings were like when their lost civilization had constructed them. Tried to imagine the faces of the people who lived there, but he only could see the ghosts of what they created. 

Somehow, his feet seemed to carry him to a portion of the city he'd never been in. The air was easier to breathe, clear of the contamination that emanated from the capitol building. He swore he'd heard a bird sing faintly in the empty streets.

He'd unknowingly found himself on the edge of a carefully kept garden... But without being conscious of the point he'd entered it. Not far from the heart of human territory, a huge rosebush, its flowers a deep blue, seemed to thrive on the small rays of sunlight trying to pierce the greasy looking clouds. Clouds that ceaselessly swirled around the capitol.

The Alpha walked through the short cropped grass, staring at the miracle before him. Nothing grew properly within the borders of Providence, not even the stunted twigs the humans kept in their windows. So to see such a beautiful flower growing in the face of incredible adversity was nothing short of a miracle.

But the small figure tending to the plant... Dylin thought he was a fever dream. The small Wolf was beautiful, even in his quiet sadness. His pale face remained locked in an expression of soft mourning as he pruned the thorny branches. The Omega lifted a navy blossom to inhale the fragrance, and Dylin assumed it was pleasant. *Assumed,* because all of the extraneous scents were ignored the second he'd smelled the soft lavender, musk and thunderstorms of his mate.

Dylin took a steadying breath, trying to convince himself it was all reality.

The scent of the Wolf across the grass was the first time Deen felt his true self lurching towards an Omega. He knew the vibration in the deepest parts of his being was the Calling to his true mate. It was a great tragedy to resist the pull. To resist the allMother's path.

Dylin dropped forward onto four paws, his clothes shimmering as they warped into dark blonde fur. He padded across the grass, sitting in scenting range of the Omega. His nose twitched with the need to approach him. The Alpha wanted nothing more than to leap across the short distance, and claim the beautiful Wolf for his own. But as much as he wanted to bury his snout in his mate's thick fur, he waited so that his true mate could come willingly. 

Because for all Dylin bragged of being a powerful, strong Alpha, he would _never_ force his mate.

When the Wolf with breathtaking cobalt eyes finally moved around his charge, in line with Dylin's eager gaze, he still didn't notice him. But unexpectedly, the wind gusted towards the black haired Omega and Dylin saw the lithe figure freeze. 

He'd caught his scent. He _had_ to feel this, just _had_ to...

But, why was this perfect Wolf taking so long to turn around to face him? What was wrong? 

Finally, he looked at the Alpha. His agonized eyes spoke of a cutting loss, a death made all the more painful by their Calling. Dylin dipped his head, laying on his belly in submission, while the other male approached. The air shimmered with a Wolf's shift, and a pair of deep blue eyes in a shaggy black face looked at him. He said, using a Wolf's universal mental link, _I lost my mate, Alpha. His pup, too._

Dylin let out a sympathetic whine. _I'm sorry,_ he mentally whispered. _I won't try to replace your Alpha, but, my Omega... I felt the Call to you..._ Dylin keened as he nosed him, gently bumping his snout against the beautiful Omega's. 

_I am the Omega Fennis Novac. Widow of Insiam. And I felt my Wolf-Self vibrate with the Call just as you did, my Alpha_.

Fen. He would call him Fen. His true mate, Fen Cambel. _I am the Alpha Dylin Cambel. Well met, my Omega._

_Well met, my Alpha. But true forms are illegal here... We're risking the whip..._ Fen visibly trembled at the mention of the silver coated whip the soldiers used on disobedient Wolves with reckless abandon. Dylin knew its sting first-hand, and would never wish it upon even his worst enemy. The pain was too much to bear for even the strongest Alpha.

_Then let me show you how **I** live, Fen._ Dylin stood, tounge lolling out in a wolfy grin. He wanted to show his scared Omega the way Wolves were supposed to be. He wanted to show him the feeling of running just for the joy of it, and how to truly **live**. He wanted his mate to know life as a Free Wolf.

Dylin let his form shift, pulling at the tendril of his two legged self lurking in the back of his mind. As the magic took hold of him, his soft, fluffy fur returned to the coarse, regulation trousers and shirt, complete with the coins in his pocket. Smiling, he watched his mate follow suit. It was a shame he had return to the form he found no less attractive than the stunning wolf, because the headstrong Alpha longed for their first run.

Sure, some Alphas might disagree, but Fen was perfect in Dylin's eyes. He could barely contain the words of love begging to tumble from his lips, as he drank in the sight before him.

Everywhere he looked, from Fen's slim waist to his lean muscles, was pure beauty. The Alpha ran a gentle hand over Fen's cheek, and his eyes were soft as his mate leaned into his touch, letting out a quiet gasp. A single tear leaked out of his mate's eye, and Dylin's thumb brushed it away as he made soft humming noises, a gentle song of comfort. It was the tune of the lullaby his father sang him as he nursed in his arms. _I have you, my fragile one. I will guard safe your hopes and dreams. I will protect you from the world, soft one. My beautiful one._

Dylin leaned their foreheads together, craving the relief he felt as their skin touched. It soothed the ragged ache he'd long ignored, a missing piece slowly filling with Fen. He completed his soul in a way that couldn't be denied. Like the bright sun in the sky, he was never without the moon, their endless dance through the heavens a mimicry of the dance of twin souls.

Dylin had never heard of a Wolf with blue eyes, he realized, gazing into the majestic orbs. Nor a human, for that matter. Humans' eyes were varying shades of brown. While Wolves generally had gold or amber eyes and hair to match their fur, with the very few chosen ones straying from the norm. He knew his own green irises had a specific meaning, according to lore. A Wolf born under a summer moon, with eyes like the leaves, will have to earn his future status as a Righteous Wolf. His Alpha mother was proof in the flesh, she'd earned her eyes a hundred times over.

While they were sharing the intmate embrace, the Alpha felt an overwhelming urge to comfort and protect his lovely mate overcome him. And he would, no matter what it cost. He longed to soothe Fen's pain, take it inside himself and share the burden.

He - despite the overwhelming urge to proclaim Fennis as _his_ \- tried to keep his hands to himself while the Wolves made their way into the stream of people leaving the capitol. Most were farmers taking their empty horsecarts home from the market, their few workers trailing behind. Dylin quickly pulled Fen in line behind a line of other Wolves - slaves from the wealthy plantation owner up ahead, blending into the crush of bodies.

A quick tap on the shoulder, a a few whispered instructions later, the Free Wolves merged into the slaves. The yellow eyes of their brethren communicated their pain. As if the silvering scars on the muscled backs weren't enough. _One day, my brothers, we will be free_ , Dylin knew it was a pipe dream, not possible under Lord Morningstar. Every day more and more Free Wolves were being caught, forced into the Compound, to have their spirits broken. Samule, Dylin's brawny giant of a brother regularly led missions to aid the starving Wolves. 

As the couple stumbled towards the looming city wall, Dylin felt his mate huddle closer to him in fear. He completely understood, the Alpha's fearless gaze flitted between the soldiers with their crossbows and short swords, to the gallows just beyond. A few bloated corpses still hung, greedy crows circling the daring freedom fighters. Flies buzzed around their furred ears, wandered across the sightless amber eyes. Dylin repressed the rage he felt burning inside of him, looking away from the Wolves who deserved more.

If the soldiers patrolling the wall noticed the extra charges in the line, they made no comment. It wasn't unusual for stray Wolves to be taken by those who wanted cheap - meaning free - workers. No one cared about a mangy Wolf being abducted and enslaved. _It is just a **Wolf** ,_ the humans of Providence reasoned, _they breed like rabbits, who will miss it?_

Dylin slipped the Wolf five of his scrip coins as soon as the trundling caravan neared the Forest, and whispered a quiet, "Thank you, brother. Gaia bless you and your pups," to his co-conspirator. He knew that the money would go toward food for their pups, not a piece wasted. When an Omega only received one full meal a day, it was pretty much impossible to feed an infant. 

"To you and yours as well, brother." The Wolf flashed his yellow eyes as the rope around his wrists pulled him forward, watching the rouges as they slipped away into the trees.

Dylin led Fen through the thickening forest, keeping a sharp lookout for any of the soldiers that occasionally ventured there. The two Wolves melted into the trees like shadows, disappearing between the branches of the pines, until Dylin pulled Fen to a stop. On the trees in front of them hung the bleached skulls of stags, with arcane symbols carved into the bark beneath.

"We're safe beyond these trees. The magic will only allow our kind past. Humans know the consequences of breaking the deep forest's laws and trespassing in the wilds." Dylin sent a smirk Fennis' way, as he shifted forms, and bounded past the wards. 

Fen tentatively reached a paw past the spot that had glowed with a crackling purple light, and skittered back at the tingling feeling of Dylin's sister in law's magic. _Come on, Fen!_ Dylin felt more than heard his true mate's apprehensive muttering, as he debated the worst that could happen. _It won't hurt you, I promise._

Dylin grinned wolfishly, watching his mate back several paces away from the boundary line. The Omega got a running start before he leapt through the barrier, the energy shooting violet sparks through his glossy black fur. His mate shook his body, trying to remove the traces of the spell as he would water.

Dylin rumbled deep in his chest, laughing gently even as his mate glared.

_It itches._ Fen scratched his ear with his hindpaw and shook his head. _Is it supposed to itch?_

_Sometimes, especially if you haven't crossed for a while._ Dylin jumped on the air playfully, his whole body wriggling as his hindquarters lifted up and he crouched, his forelegs stretched out in front. Dylin was all too well aware he was acting like a pup begging to play, but Fen was his true mate, dammit. He was allowed to feel happy. _Run with me, my Omega?_

-:-

Fennis let out a howling yelp, akin to speech as he pretended to pounce. _Yes, my Alpha. Our first run._ Fennis had never known how amazing freedom was, until he felt the release of undeniable safety that lay behind the barrier. He wanted suddenly to run, to feel the dirt fly beneath his paws and the sun on his back. Dylin's presence, his mere proximity, soothed the ragged hole the humans had torn from his heart. A hole made when the young men had beaten Insiam with their clubs until the Alpha no longer breathed.

But the memories of his once-full womb remained a cloud against the brilliant sun that was his true mate. He tried his best to let the fragile joy he felt blossom. As Dylin led Fennis through the forest, tumbling over him, and frolicking in the small meadows they encountered, it grew. Dylin acted like a pup, tail never ceasing to wag, yelps and yowls ringing through the murky woods in his joy.

Dylinn had shifted to his other form, when he entered the largest glen, and Fennis followed suit, puzzled, but willing. He already trusted Dylin, they needed no questions.

As he and his mate laid to rest in the larger size clearing, Fen accepted this newfound life. Maybe he could be truly free, live a life without fear and pain. A life of healthy pups, and smiling faces. Laughter and joy in unmeasurable quantities. Love, at last.

Fen never fooled himself, he had always known something was missing between him and Insiam. But he'd been swept off of his feet by the happy family the gray and brown haired Alpha had promised. He longed for true connection between mates. He longed for the other half of his soul.

Which was Dylin. Undeniably.

The Alpha's hand brushed his as the mates lay in the cool grass, their soft breathing accompanying the forest's music. "Fen?" Dylin asked, and the Omega turned his head away from his first look at the marvelous blue sky. "I'm sorry for..." Dylin's furred ears twitched, and he swallowed, as if nervous. "I just want to be yours, but I promise, I will wait until your heart can accept me as your mate."

"I am so very grateful, my Alpha, but the Call to you is unbreakable. Let me grieve, for my pup, before I fall pregnant with yours." He remembered the tiny pup his body could no longer bear, and the vicious kicks that had caused his miscarriage, but he knew it would not happen again. Dylin would protect him in ways Insiam couldn't, not there in the Capitol. They had been honest and caring neighbors, but humankind's ability to hate knew no limits. He was safe here in the deep forest. Safe with Dylin. 

"I understand. I would never force you, Fen." Dylin brushed his finger over his mate's hand, and he looked over, a sad smile on his face. Dylin was a good Alpha. Fennis knew it simply by the softness in his green eyes as he promised to wait until he was ready. "My village is just beyond the trees, my Omega. Whenever you are ready."

"We may go." Fennis averted his eyes, when Dylin stepped up on a large root of a tree, taking a small bundle of clothing from the crook of a branch. He should have guessed that true Wolves wouldn't wear these signs of the Sovereignty; the coarse, harsh clothing of slaves and the lowest class.

But Fennis was unprepared for the sense of _rightness_ he felt, when he saw Dylin's outfit. Just a simple pair of suede breeches and a leather jerkin, decorated with small, woven embellishments in reds and yellows. A thick gauntlet adorned each of his muscled forearms, and his feet were wrapped in supple leather, adding to the sense that Dylin belonged here, in the forest.

Fennis wanted similar clothes as his mate had. Wanted them fiercely.

Dylin cast a small smirk Fennis' way and took his hand, pulling him across the clearing and into the village. The Omega knew that he was never going to be able to live with the humans again, when he saw the village.

This was his home. These were his people.


	2. Chapter 2

Dylin's village wasn't much more than a modest collection of cabins spread across a wide artificial clearing, but Fennis thought it was perfect. The wide, slow-moving river that flowed through the natural clearing behind them also burbled its way through the village, with channels cut to water the Wolves' small field of crops on the far side, next to deerskins curing on poles. Dylin gave a human howl, when the couple came to the edges of the town. A signal to his pack he'd returned.

While he knew that Dylin's pack was supposed to be friendly, he still feared their disapproval as various Wolves paused to greet the returning Alpha.

But he couldn't help the bemused chuckle that burst from his lips, as four pups came barrelling towards Dylin on two legs. His mate laughed joyously, scooping up the smallest pup and placing the youngling on his shoulders, as the other three peppered him with questions. Dylin would be an amazing father, he realized with a pang of confused heartache.

The Omega wanted it. He had always wanted to be a mother of a huge litter, with the beautiful children of his true mate growing in his womb. The longing for a mate, his true mate, sprang upon him with the ending of his first heat. His soul called out to its missing piece, a fragment of itself that he had lost before he was conceived. His heart had always belonged to this amazing Alpha, who gently tumbled with these younglings, and never cared a jot about propriety.

A small pup, who was still learning how to coordinate all four legs, bumped into Fennis' calf, looking up with a tilted head and curious, deep brown eyes. Fennis smiled, crouching down to flash his glowing blue eyes. "I'm like you, little one. You needn't fear me," the Omega whispered. The pup wagged his black tipped tail, and yipped happily. It was a good thing that it had a mother, otherwise Fennis would have scooped it up, and kept the adorable child.

Fennis looked up as the three pups not on his mate's shoulder tumbled his way, competing with each other for his attention. He tumbled down, as they crawled on him, sniffing him in the way pups do. Their small compliments on his scent made the Omega beam.

But then it stopped. In fact, all manner of quiet chatter in the village stopped. Fennis looked up, confused until he saw _her._ She was a striking silver blonde Wolf with forest green eyes, and Fennis looked up at Dylin for guidance. His mate set down the pup, and knelt, while baring his vulnerable neck with his fists on the tamped earth in submission.

Fennis did his best to mimic the pose, shaking in fear. He felt the power emanating from the Alpha, raw authority he would never want to cross if his life depended on it. This Wolf was the Packleader, and the Omega knew if he gave a good first impression, it would go smoothly. If he was to be accepted as Dylin's mate, he needed to submit to the Alpha who sired him. Fen wanted nothing more than to be Dylin's mate, and bear his pups, already he knew he wouldn't refuse Dylin when he went into heat.

He held as still as he could as the Wolf scented him, her warm breath ruffling the hair between his ears. His heart was racing out of control, what if he was rejected? It had been a matter of hours, and yet it would be devastating news. _Please, find me worthy..._

Then the air shimmered. A pale, strong hand wrapped in white leather bindings now appeared in his line of vision. "Stand, mate of my heart's blood."

Fennis nearly collapsed, and Dylin's mother gently smiled as he got to his feet. "I-I am Fennis Novac, Omega. Well met, Packleader." He kept his eyes firmly on the ground, as the Wolf looked him over. Gaia forbid they find out about Insiam. He feared it would be a shame on Dylin's honor, were the Alpha's son to mate with him. He'd been with another Alpha, and soiled with another's seed. Though Fen could never regret his mate, and still longed for his child.

"Well met, Omega. I am Ana Cambel. Welcome to the Resistance, mate of my son." Ana placed a callused finger under Fennis' chin, lifting his head. Her green eyes, not unlike Dylin's looked into his, lit with a soft understanding. "I hope you enjoy our way of life here, Fennis. I wish my mate was here to meet you. Human soldiers sent by the Sovereignty killed him several years ago."

Fennis nodded, blinking slowly. He understood that pain. Human soldiers could be the cruellest of creatures. He'd seen more than enough to know they weren't to be trusted.

"You have a good heart, Fennis. I am proud to one day call you my son by marriage." Ana tilted her head, scrutinizing Fennis' face. She murmured softly as she looked into the Omega's eyes, "The allMother gifted you with the most unusual color of eyes..."

Dylin cleared his throat awkwardly, and trying to distract her, no doubt. "Mother, I earned enough scrip for the pups' medicine. Hopefully they will be strong enough to fight the sickness."

Fennis looked at his mate in horror and confusion. How could pups fall sick? There were very few illnesses that Wolves fell prey to, and none required more than herbs, or perhaps a medicinal tea. Yellow Wolfsbane was the typical answer,a cure-all of sorts. Human medicine usually was poison to their bodies.

Feeling a growing alarm at his mate's tone, he scanned the faces of the pack, seeing the same emotions on the Wolves gathered. It was as if the pups would soon die. That could never be allowed, not if he had a say in the matter.

"Dylin, what is wrong with them?"

Dylin's jaw clenched as he muttered darkly, "Humans poisoned them." He brushed his hand over Fennis' shoulder, pain filling his eyes, as he added, "You need to know what they are, Fen... And those bastards call _us_ the monsters, the evil ones."

Dylin guided Fennis to the sick bay, a cabin that was slightly larger than the others in silence. It was a tragedy, Fennis knew, that all Wolves were being vilified by Lord Morningstar, being made the enemy of his nation. Fennis felt that the people might accept his kind, if there was a better ruler in their capitol.

But Fennis, in his nearly thirty years of experience with human cruelty, had never seen anything even remotely close to what had been done to the pups lying limply on the cots. His blood had all but boiled when Dylin opened the wooden door, and the pups came in to his line of sight.

Their thin arms were dotted with puncture marks, and stained with black ribbons of the toxins that flowed through the younglings' veins. The worst was their glassy eyes that restlessly flicked about the room. The blind pain in those brown orbs...

Fennis repressed his urge to vomit. He needed to help them.

"This... In all of my years... This is new." Fennis felt his feet carry him to the female pup of their own accord, and he gently rubbed her balding ears. Helplessly, he tried to comfort her. It was as if... "They're rejecting their true forms," Fennis muttered through his numb lips. This was... A tear fell from the Omega's eye as the barely one year old pup turned her dull eyes up at him.

"I'm sorry, little one. I'm so sorry." Fen placed a tender kiss to her forehead, gently holding her in his arms. Humming tunelessly, he rocked the infant, even as she weakly tried to find his chest to nurse. Oh, how he wished he could produce milk for her, give her the nourishing food that Omegas were made for. "I don't have any for you, sweet girl." His tears fell on the cot, leaving dark stains in the canvas. "I don't know what to do."

"We're all at a loss, boyo." A red haired Omega watched him, her bright violet eyes filled with grief. "You can't just separate Wolves from their true selves, but that doesn't seem to matter to the humans. Our Wolves that monitor the compound found these poor things half dead, discarded in a heap of rubbish." The Wolf sighed, as she rubbed the lapis pendant around her neck in agitation. "I've tried everything I know to help Kaite and Tomas, but none of my magic is working."

Fennis had to do something. These poor children couldn't be allowed to die. The Omega accepted the small bottle of milk, and let Kaite hold onto him as she managed a few gulps. Her small hand closed around his shirt, as her eyes drifted shut. Kaite trembled as she slept uneasily.

Nightmares. At less than two.

Fennis felt a powerful force bubble up from a part of his soul he had forgotten existed, as he watched her shift, trying to escape the fear. His hands were tingling slightly, and it was all he could do to gasp a prayer to the allMother as he placed his palm on the pup's forehead. "Make her well, Mother, I beg you."

Fennis' eyes burned with the magic flowing through his veins, and he saw briefly a field of wildflowers, and himself as a young pup. The memory grew as he let the energy flood into the fragile pup, just as he had healed the wounded stag in the meadow, when he was but a child.

The humans had nearly erased the faint recollection of his innate power, but as the glowing nimbus of blue light faded away, he remembered. He remembered the fear that the orphanage had instilled in him. _No one must know,_ the Wolf housemother had insisted, her furred ears laying flat against her skull in fear, _You would be shot on sight for what you are._

Fennis had come to repress his power until he forgot its very existence, only remembering hazy images, and the tingling in his fingertips as he altered creatures' fates.

The Omega looked up, upon hearing a soft whimpering, and feeling the nubs of Kaite's teeth tugging on his hand. The sickly pup now was a fully functional Wolf, her true self's paw about to bat at his chest. He let out a startled laugh, the feeling of hope running through him. He could help them.

He could help his people.

-:-

"Fen? How did - How did you do that?" Dylin sank onto the sick bed next to his mate in utter disbelief. The pup, who not minutes before was beginning to make the journey to the Nightlands - the only heaven Wolves knew - was now fawning over Fen, licking his face and snuggling into his arms.

Dylin was familiar with magic. It was common for the pack to see Rhowena perform complicated spells to ease their lives. From healing wounds, to the irrigation system she had devised. He seen what seemed at the time to be miracles from his sister in law, but this... This was beyond the Alpha's ken.

And it was his mate that had done it.

"He's a bloody Celestial, that's how." Rhowena, his older brother Samule's mate, appeared to have been hit by lightning. Her violet eyes held a sort of wild joy, making Dylin wonder if Fen was more than just a Wolf born of an Omega's womb.

If he was more than what he appeared to be. In other words, a creation of more than sinew and bone. Something divine. How much of his mate was still a mystery? What else didn't he know?

"Fennis, my powers may be grains of rice next to yours, but I can teach you what I know. I am Rhowena, your mate's sister by marriage." Rhowena halfway curtseyed, in her short dress, and Dylin's eyes rolled. She was a dramatic Wolf, no doubt about that.

Dylin brushed Fen's hair away from his forehead, as his Omega sighed, looking up into his eyes. Those azure irises seemed to shimmer softly, the shades of blue they contained shifting even as he watched.

It was all the confirmation Dylin needed to know that Fen was someone special. And somehow he was chosen to be the true mate of this perfect creature... It was more than he could wrap his head around.

He could only pray that he was worthy of such an honor.

"Dylin, I..." Fen sighed, leaning against his chest, and murmured, "I think that would be a wise decision, Rhowena." Dylin's Omega pressed his face into his chest, his words muffled as he tried to be rational. "I feel a long path ahead of us - allMother help me - and any preparations I can make could save lives in the end." Fen took a shaky breath, and he pulled away, looking in Dylin's eyes. "I don't know what is to come, but I feel like something was awakened inside myself today."

"I will be there with you on your path, Fen." Dylin took a deep breath, his voice adopting a unique double timbre as he spoke his solemn vow. "I swear on white oak and mountain ash, I will do my best to protect you. Wherever you go, I will follow."

The Alpha gritted his teeth, as the vow took hold inside him, settling into the fabric of his mind. It was a nagging sensation, like a word on the tip of your tounge. Something that just evaded your grasp, but was a distinct part of you. Just another piece of himself, guiding him along the allMother's path.

Whenever a vow was made on the trees sacred to the allMother, it ingrained itself into the Wolf who made it. In life, it would direct your actions, making choices simpler. It was unbreakable, except in death.

"Dylin..." Fen tentatively reached out to caress his face, his hand stopping just short of the Alpha's cheek. His shimmering eyes glowed softly as he made his own vow. "I swear on white oak and mountain ash that I am yours, until my dying breath." The Omega's eyelids fluttered, as he took several shallow breaths. When at last he looked into Dylin's eyes, his own had soft ripples of navy interspersed within his normally cobalt irises. "It was all I could give, Dylin."

"It was more than I would ever ask."

Dylin watched as his mate's eyes burned with blue fire once more, and the air shimmered around Tomas. Within a few seconds, the dying pup was once more shifting easily between his forms. Another miracle.

He had so many questions, all of which pertained to Fen. The only things that the Alpha knew about Celestials was that they were supposed to be myths, and the last to walk the earth in the stories was the White Wolf. He had heard the legend, every Wolf knew about a little about her. But now, his rational mind said this wasn't a hoax. His mate was almost a god...

Dylin turned the spit his pheasant was roasting upon, and looked about his cabin. He'd never thought much of furniture besides the basics, just a table and a few rough stools, with his sleeping platform on the wall furthest from the door. The fire bowl in the center of the room was where he cooked his meals, with the scant cooking tools he had. Not much more than a pot, and a few utensils.

It wasn't fitting for a Celestial. Not in the slightest. Gaia help him, he didn't even own a comfortable chair!

And yet the first thing Fen said was how much he loved it. His beautiful Omega was straightening up the cabin, humming tunelessly as he organized the few outfits Dylin had and the new clothes the pack had found him. He began hanging them on the rack, and Dylin caught a glimpse of Fen pressing his sheepskin coat to his nose. The soft smile on the Omega's face when he pulled away was priceless.

His mate was astounding.

"Dylin, do you think we might..." Fen hesitantly sat next to him on the low ledge running around the fire bowl, picking a piece of lint off of the loosely knit sweater he was wearing. "I'm afraid of what is to come Dylin. I feel as if I have a dark cloud hovering around me..." Fennis' eyes roved around the room as his voice cracked, and water welled up in the beautiful orbs. "I'm scared, my Alpha."

Dylin took the pheasant off of the fire, sticking the pole into the sand around the flames. "Don't be scared," he murmured as he took his mate's face in his hands. "I will protect you."

Fen nodded, the corner of his mouth curving up weakly. "I know you will." Fen leaned into his mate's touch, like he was drawing strength from him.

Dylin sighed, resting his forehead on Fen's. There was so much he wanted to say. How beautiful he found his smile, the lone dimple that appeared at random. How much he wanted to know him; his likes, dislikes, and hobbies.

His Omega looked so lost, as he searched Dylin's eyes for answers he didn't have. "Please, don't forget that I'm still me. Whatever a Celestial is, whatever I am, I'm still your Omega."

"Fen, I will always see you as the beautiful Omega you are." Dylin brushed his lips over Fen's cheek, their light touch on his mate's face causing his heart to pound in his ears. Gaia only knew how fast the Alpha was falling. He couldn't explain just how much he needed Fen. The primal instinct inside him said this was right, this was normal.

But his mind was screaming to take things slow. He knew they had only met eight hours ago, but Dylin had been contemplating telling Fen the three little words for four of those hours.

He was in deep trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

Dylin stretched his golden furred body in the delicious sunlight, settling deeper into the springy grass. His and Fen's fishing poles lay forgotten by the riverbank, the late summer heat encouraging the couple to relax.

 _Gaïa_ , it felt good to be away from the capitol, Dylin could almost feel the dank smog still coating his fur. It had been nearly two weeks since they entered the forest, and they had taken numerous baths in the river... There was a quality to the pollution that seemed to never fade.

A flicker of movement caught the Alpha's eye. Fen, his adorable Fen, was attempting to catch, and most likely eat, a butterfly. Dylin's body shook with deep, rumbling laughter. His ruddy mate. Only Fen would try to eat a butterfly.

Dylin's heart beat a little harder, stronger, as he watched his mate bound after the insect. His Omega's soft grumbling across the Link was enough to make Dylin fall harder for him.

 _I'm going to get that thing. I want to catch it._ Dylin could almost picture his Fen with their future litter. It would be like having an extra child. _Mine_.

Fen's agile body twisted as he swiped a paw at the bug, missing by inches. _I want to — Come back!_ The Omega fell back on his haunches, woofing in his distress. _It was so pretty..._

Dylin heaved himself off of the forest floor, and trotted across sunlit meadow. _Fen, it's alright._ The Alpha gently touched his wet nose to his mate's, licking his cheek in soft comfort. _You are amazing, my love._

Just as Fen lifted his head to look at Dylin, a small blue butterfly - not as audacious as the last - landed on the Omega's nose. Fen's cobalt eyes widened almost comically as he tried to look down his muzzle. His paw hesitantly came up to bat away the creature, but paused. _Dylin. Dylin, help..._

_It likes you._

_I... Dylin, get it off. Why does it like me?_

Chuckling softly, the Alpha released a puff of air, sending the harmless bug on its way. His eyes twinkled as he said to his mate, _Maybe it thought you were prettier than it._

_Ha ha, Alpha._

_Fen, you are absolutely stunning... The most beautiful Omega I've ever seen._ Dylin couldn't understand how Fen didn't see the glossiness of his fur, nor the perfect planes of his body. His mate was the embodiment of perfection. _I mean it, Fen._

Just as Dylin tried to nuzzle him in a comforting way, Fen pulled back, pacing over to the slow moving river. As far away from his mate as the clearing allowed.

_I've already been bred, Alpha. I'm tainted._

Fen's almost inaudible words crumbled Dylin's heart. He had never heard of an Omega degrading themselves for having a mate before their true mate. It was simply accepted that not everyone found the allMother's path as quickly.

_Fen, you... I never want to hear you talk like that. I don't care if you had a mate before me._

_Will the pack? Are you going to be dishonored if I mourn my pup?_

_No, the pack won't mind. It's not your fault._ Dylin padded over to Fen, nuzzling him again. _They're jealous. Whomever made it seem like having a mate was wrong, they were just jealous._

 _Of_ **_me?_ **

_Fen, you are the son of the allMother herself. They're lousy with jealousy._

Fen's sparkling laugh reverberated across the Link, filling Dylin's mind. His meadow, the place that filled him with peace, was all the more complete with his Omega. For a brief moment, as they gently tumbled in the grass, Dylin could imagine he was in the Nightlands. It was where Fen belonged, a world without pain or sorrow.

Heaven.

-:-

Fennis nervously adjusted his soft tunic, and fidgeted with the leather wraps of his shoes. He made sure that each cord lay perfectly even on his calves, and any stray thread of his clothes was removed.

He had to make a good first impression.

 _You can do this,_ he told himself sternly. _It's only your future in laws. No need to panic._

Nevertheless, he was on edge, his ears swiveling to catch every sound from his Alpha's family inside.

Why had he agreed to a formal presentation to his mate's family? He could be at home with Dylin, cooking a nice stew, with the mutton they were gifted by Rhowena. Or finishing the washing, which he'd neglected for a week... Instead, he was sitting on the Packleader's porch, the last place on Hastor he wanted to be.

Fennis muttered a quick prayer to the allMother for guidance, as the door opened.

At least Dylin was at ease. Unlike Fen.

"Come on in, love. We're ready for you." Dylin's husky voice softened, seeing his mate so agitated." They're all happy to meet you. Don't worry."

"I've just never been presented to the family before. Insiam didn't have any." Fen gave a weak smile, reassured as Dylin discreetly scented his Omega, and placed an arm around him. It was a comforting gesture.

Of course it didn't stop his knees from wobbling slightly. Ah, well. Some things can't be helped.

The first one to greet Fen as he walked inside was Samule, Dylin's brawny giant of a brother. His scent was clean, and had notes of leather and cedar. It fit well with his role of provider of shelter and safety for his Omega and their pups.

"I'm glad that he finally found you. This idiot would have been alone forever. " Sam, as he was called, gave the required embrace, and gestured to his wife, feeding their newest pup in a well worn rocking chair. "I know you've met my Roe, and that's Samntha in her arms. Our first girl."

There were three other pups causing mild havoc in the large cabin.

Rhys, a boy of eight, who was trying to draw Ana Cambel's bow. Of course he was failing spectacularly, but still.

Then Cor, a pup of six, his black tipped tail wagging as he toyed with some lint. His green eyes flashed as he pounced on the dust bunny, a small, squeaky growl coming from his chest.

Last came Ters, just four years old, and the only one playing quietly. His soft golden eyes stayed fixed on the small tower he was building out of wooden cubes. A tower he was constantly rebuilding after his brothers' antics knocked it over.

"Hello." Fen's smile was a bit bolder, and Dylin relaxed against his side.

"I hope your Omega brought his appetite -" Ana Cambel's voice was boisterous as she walked in the back door, arms laden with strung fish, "- because I just pulled seven trout off of the smoke, and I can't eat them all myself!"

-:-

" That was wonderful, ma'am." Fen delicately wiped a trace of trout grease from the corner of his mouth, his stomach full to bursting. He had never tasted fish quite like the ones Ana pulled off of the strings. 

The Packleader was obviously fond of leading from behind, letting the Omegas and the children have the first choice of food. And be the first to have seconds. Not to be out done, she laid the first offering onto the fire, for the honor of the allMother.

Lavender and White Sage were laid reverently onto the flames, with the first bite of the meal, for Her mercy. Fennis always had performed the ceremony, on his own, and in hushed whispers when he was with humans. He was infinitely glad that he might keep his faith, even as his world changed.

"So, Fennis, how are your cooking skills?" Ana's forest green eyes examined the Omega, as he swallowed another bite of the tender fish. 

"I can make do with whatever I'm given, ma'am. Game was very scarce in the Capitol." Fen hesitantly smiled, his heart pounding in his chest, and a soft blush coloring his cheeks. "You learn quickly how to dress up simple food."

Dylin's hand slipped into his underneath the table, squeezing in a gentle reassurance. The Alpha's eyes blinked at him, a smile lifting his cheek. "Mother, even if Fen was the worst cook, I would never leave him. He's my true mate."

Fen ducked his head, as Ana Cambel' sparkling laugh filled the room. "Exactly what I want to hear." A fond light filled her eyes as she continued. "Jon was by far the worst cook on Terros. I loved him all the more for it. You're stronger together, all true mates are."

Fen's smile was blinding, brilliant in the dark cabin as he lay to sleep, a pillow wall between himself and Dylin. Even though they were taking it slowly, he felt even closer to his mate, as they shared their dreams in the late summer night.

He loved Dylin. Unconditionally.

-:-

Fen woke to the crowing of the pack's rooster, surrounded by the most delightful scent. He insinctively burrowed into the warmth, inhaling.

Dylin smelled _wonderful_ in the morning.

... Dylin?!

What was he doing in his arms? They had agreed to slow down, had agreed it was better to get to know each other more. And what had he done? Crawled right into the Alpha's arms at the very first sign of a nightmare. He was a miserable excuse for a Wolf.

Dylin's strong hands caressed his back, and with his lips in the Omega's hair, he murmured, "It's alright, Fen. I pulled you to me. Couldn't let you suffer through a nightmare alone."

" I'm sorry." Fen whispered, fingers curling into Dylin's sleeping shirt. They lay together, their breaths mingling in the brisk morning air. Fen nuzzled his face into the curve of his mate's neck, right over his scent gland. He wanted nothing more than to _reek_ of Dylin.

"Mmhmmn. I like you smelling like me." Dylin shifted in the bed, his rumbling voice vibrating Fen's ear. He pulled away slightly, the Alpha's scent souring in fear. "A little too much."

Fen understood that Dylin needed some space, to relieve his urges. He could felt the same want tugging him, telling him to return to his Alpha. But Fen could ignore the slick seeping from his entrance, unlike his mate.

So, he let the soft whimpers and muffled gasps fall on deaf ears, knowing better than to look at Dylin in this moment. However, behind the bonfire scent of the Alpha's arousal, it almost had an edge of fear. That was something Fennis would never let pass by unnoticed.

As Dylin groaned his name, and the smell of his seed filled his mate's nose, the fear spiked. His Alpha refused to meet Fen's eyes, as he cleaned himself in their bathroom. Even when Fen set a plate of eggs on the table, waiting for him, Dylin remained at a distance. His arms were rigid at his sides, fists clenched in the fabric of his shirt, and what troubled the Omega was the way he refused to meet his eyes.

Fen hesitantly stepped up to his made, even as said mate trembled slightly in his fear. "Dylin..." Fen murmured, tugging at the taut arm in front of him. "Don't be afraid..."

"The humans..." Dylin looked up to the timbered ceiling, a year falling from his eye. Fen stepped closer, reaching a hand up to wipe away the pain. "Whips. After my first rut, it... I never meant to shame you the way I have. I was -"

"Dylin, I was proud you thought of me." Fen smiled up into his Alpha's face, trying to ease the heartache. He gladly held him close when his mate reached out for comfort. Fen's small hands rubbed circles on his back, as he whispered, "It was just human cruelty, Dylin. I promise, your needs aren't anything to be ashamed of. I have them as well."

"Thank you, my beloved."

"Always."

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